Natural Star Nani’s period action entertainer, The Paradise, is directed by Srikanth Odela and produced on a grand scale by Sudhakar Cherukuri under the SLV Cinemas banner. The promotional content released so far has received a superb response. The film is set to release worldwide on September 24. Ahead of the release, the director interacted with the media, and here’s the transcript.
Is the story completely fictional, or is it based on real incidents?
It is both. Regarding the jadal (braids) part, it is based on my own experience. When I was young, my mother used to raise me as a girl because she wanted a daughter. She started making braids in my hair. The revolution part is inspired by a real-life incident that happened in Adilabad.
Why were you disappointed with Dasara?
The second half of Dasara will be classy. I am very interested in poster designing and all. Because of the way we marketed the film, many thought it was an outright mass film like KGF. But when the drama dominated the proceedings, a few told me they were disappointed. The film was the opposite of their expectations. Then I decided to give the audience what they wanted with The Paradise.
Is The Paradise an out-and-out action film?
It isn’t a full-fledged commercial action film. There will be a blend of many aspects, including emotions and social elements. I believe the emotions in The Paradise will dominate the action part. When people come out of the theatre, the emotional aspect will register strongly.
Do you think avoiding the trailer is a good move?
In the olden days, there used to be a surprise factor in movies, since we didn’t know what we were going to watch. But that is missing now due to the promotional culture and too many updates. I don’t want to rush things. Whatever I wish to do, I want to do it wholeheartedly. We don’t have enough time to cut the trailer.
Despite the delays, why have the post-production work and shooting been prolonged until the 11th hour?
It’s because I failed at planning. When I want something a certain way, I don’t stop until that is achieved. I didn’t reshoot any scenes, but I tortured the artists. That is true. I am even ready to do 100 takes until perfection is achieved. The schedules took longer than planned, and it was tough to obtain the actors’ call sheets.
How did you convince Nani garu for the braid look?
I told Nani anna that he should sport a double-braid look, and he immediately gave his nod. People around him told him not to agree, and even people in my team raised doubts. But I believed in it strongly. There is a proper emotional touch to the jadal part.
How many songs are there in the film? Will the film have a sequel?
Including the bit songs, there will be six songs. Anirudh is someone with whom we can share everything openly. I felt so much comfort working with him. There is no sequel to The Paradise. It is a single-part film.